Tell Them Not To Hollywoodize It

The film version of Guys And Dolls (1955) was a hit, but is now generally considered an artistic failure.  I have to agree. Producer Sam Goldwyn took one of the most delightful Broadway musicals ever and lost most of what was great in giving it the Hollywood treatment. (Orson Welles told librettist Abe Burrows "they put a tiny turd on every one of your lines.")

I recently saw the original trailer for the film, and it was interesting to note how Goldwyn, a master of publicity, sold it.  First (though the video below cuts it off), entertainment columnist and TV variety host Ed Sullivan ("Ed Sullivan will always do fine as long as other people have talent") comes out and brags about how Sam Goldwyn spent a million dollars for the rights to Guys And Dolls (we even see the check), and spent five and a half million for the movie.  So Goldwyn is telling us in the mid-50s, when TV is taking over, that this is a spectacular--certainly unlike what you'll find on TV (such as on Ed Sullivan--though Ed was happy to promote Guys And Dolls on his show).  Then we get to the actual movie (which is where the video below picks up).

We start with the general Damon Runyon milieu.  Fine.  Then we get to the first star--probably the biggest name of the day--Marlon Brando.  A lot of people said that Brando was miscast as Sky Masterson (or as Goldwyn called him, Sky Madison).  Well, he's not a great singer or dancer, but I think he does a fine job with the role, having a natural authority and also getting some laughs.  Oddly, Sullivan almost boasts that Brando has never sung or danced.  Next comes Jean Simmons, Brando's partner.  We see a short scene with them.  Once again, fine.

Then we get to Sinatra, in the lead comic role of Nathan Detroit.  Now this is miscasting.  The Broadway lead, Sam Levene, couldn't sing, so they gave almost all his songs to others.  Sinatra can sing, though I'm not sure if his approach works (composer Frank Loesser certainly didn't think so) and he just stinks up the screen trying to get the humor.  Here we see him singing "Adelaide," a song written for the movie.  I get promoting new stuff, but the show was famous--why not see one of its well-known numbers?  Next we get Sinatra's screen partner, Vivian Blaine (from the Broadway show) and she's singing "Sue Me"--another odd choice, since this is one of the lesser songs from the show. (It is interesting to hear Sam Levene croak it on the original cast album.  Nathan Lane and Faith Prince built up the number in their well-regarded revival, but it still can't compare to the other tunes.)

Then the trailer gets to the writer-director, Joseph L. Mankiewicz.  This was another mistake on Goldwyn's part.  He was one of the top names in town at the time, but he had no experience with musicals and was wrong for the rakish world of Guys And Dolls. (Maybe not as bad as hiring John Huston to direct Annie, but in the same ballpark.) No mention is made of Abe Burrows, who wrote the original libretto, much less George S. Kaufman, who directed it on stage. (And Sam Goldwyn sure isn't gonna bring up original producers Feuer and Martin.)

Next we get a cursory mention of Frank Loesser.  Maybe not a huge name to the movie audience, but as the one who wrote the songs, he's as responsible for the success of the show as anyone.  Then a nod to Michael Kidd, who choreographed the show on stage and screen.  Ed brings up his screen credentials.  A quick note that he's working with the famed "Goldwyn Girls" and we're back to talking about Sam.  A quick recap, Ed makes a pun on his show Toast Of The Town, and we're done.



So we see what rates.  You don't really get any impression of what the story's about, but that's okay.  What surprises me most is no mention of the many famous songs (that made the transition--some were dropped)--where's "Adelaide's Lament," "Fugue For Tinhorns," "The Oldest Established," "If I Were A Bell," "Luck Be A Lady" or "Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat"?  It's as if they're trying to ignore one of the best scores ever written.